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Seabird Fishery Interaction Research

Seabird Bycatch Monitoring and Reporting

The Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Fishery Monitoring and Analysis Division supports the world’s largest seabird bycatch monitoring effort through the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program. Between 36,000 and 39,000 coverage days are completed each year in the Alaskan groundfish fisheries (longline, pot, pelagic trawl, and non-pelagic trawl), and data are provided for analysis of seabird bycatch.

Northern fulmars vying to be first in line at the discharge chute, commercial cod longline vessel.
Photo Credit: Yolanda Malavear, NMFS Certified Observer

Note that the estimates for the Bering Sea demersal longline fleet indicate an estimated take of 15
short-tailed albatross in 2010 and 5 in 2011. These estimates are based on the observed take of two
short-tails in 2010 and one in 2011, the first observed takes since 1998. The Biological Opinion for the
Short-tailed albatross (USFWS 2003) allows for an expected incidental take of four birds in each 2 year
period for the demersal longline fishery. Note that this take is based on numbers of birds observed
rather than the estimate of total take derived from the observed take.